Chris Affleck, mother of actors Ben and Casey Affleck, has died at the age of 83 News Today

Chris Anne Affleck, mother of Hollywood actors Ben Affleck and Casey Affleck, died at the age of 83 after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in December 2025.

Casey Affleck’s mother Ben dies at 83

According to an obituary released by her family, Affleck died peacefully in her sleep on June 2, two days after fulfilling what was described as one of her final wishes: to attend her grandson Atticus’ graduation.

Affleck’s death was publicly reported through an obituary published in The Boston Globe, with reports stating that her family had been informed of the severity of her condition following the diagnosis. She was reportedly given approximately six months to live. Despite the diagnosis, she was able to attend Atticus’ graduation on May 31, shortly before her death.

More about Chris Affleck

Born Christopher Anne Boldt in New York City in December 1942, Chris Anne Affleck has built a life far beyond her identity as the mother of two famous Hollywood actors.

The Harvard graduate spent about 35 years working as a public school teacher before retiring in 2008. Her career in education was a defining part of her life, and her commitment to social causes was equally significant.

Affleck was also involved in the civil rights movement. According to accounts of her life, she taught literacy classes in Mississippi during the 1964 Freedom Summer campaign and remained involved in social and political issues throughout her life. She later participated in protests against the Vietnam War, campaigned for Barack Obama, and worked with the Alliance for Water Justice in Palestine. She also got involved with the Sustainable Cape project in Truro and supported youth activism.

Her influence on her sons’ lives and careers began long before Ben and Casey Affleck became established figures in the film industry. Chris and her ex-husband Timothy Affleck had two sons.

The couple later divorced, with Ben reportedly aged around 12 at the time of the separation. Chris remained closely involved in the development of both her sons, supporting their ambitions in the arts from an early age.

Chris Anne Affleck was also present during one of the most memorable moments of her son’s early Hollywood career. In 1998, she attended the Academy Awards where Ben Affleck and Matt Damon won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for Good Will Hunting. Ben and Damon were nominated for a film they wrote together, and Affleck was seen celebrating alongside her son during the ceremony.